Designed primarily to permit the instructors to deal with a topic with which they are especially concerned, more focused than the subject matter of a regular lecture course. Does not count towards the requirements of the Sociology major, but may satisfy other campus requirements.

In 1776, the architects of the American social contract declared that “… all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” Why was it so important for them to include happiness in this list? What did they mean by it then, and what do we mean by it now? This mini-course will explore social and cultural differences in how people interpret happiness and how they experience it. Why are some people better able to live a satisfying life? Which social practices foster human flourishing, and which get in the way? Our happiness myths tell us that wealth and material possessions (possibly even good grades?) will improve our well-being. Alas, social science has demonstrated this to be untrue. So, what makes us happy? That’s the main thing that this class is about. I need to warn you though: this is not a class in which you will learn how to become happy. Instead, we will explore whether and why we are preoccupied with happiness and how such an obsession can, in fact, result in the opposite of what we seek: namely, heartache, despair, and sorrow.

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